Grammer

China
November 11, 2013 5:21am CST
The following is a quotation from my textbook: It took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now inhabits the earth. Given time - time not in years but in millennia - life adjusts, and a balance has been reached. I wonder why the simple present tense and perfect present tense are used here since it is just an assumption of the author (in a subjunctive mood). And can anyone give me some sentences that begin with 'Given time'?( so that I can learn the usage of 'Given time' better) Thanks in advance.
1 response
Just an Ordinary Owl?
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
12 Nov 13
The first sentence is a simple, factual statement. The second is a conditional sentence (= "[If it is] given time, ... life adjusts") the third - disguised by a conjunction - is another statement: "a balance has been reached". There is no suggestion of or need for the subjunctive mood. The author is making statements which he believes are (and are widely accepted as) factual. Conditional clauses may sometimes incorporate a doubtful or non-factual condition, in which case, of course, it is appropriate to use the subjunctive. As an example (which contains the tacit assumption that allowing enough time is not a practical option): "If he were given time, he would be able to complete the exam." For more information on the subjunctive, see here:
Subjunctive Mood
englishplus.com
The Subjunctive Mood A verb is in the subjunctive mood when it expresses a condition which is doubtful or not factual. It is most often found in a clause beginning with the word if. It is also found in clauses following a verb that expresses a doubt, a wis
1 person likes this
Sophie1994
@Sophie1994 (31)
• China
13 Nov 13
Thank you very much. I asked my classmates and teachers for explanation before but I couldn't get the point. Your answer is really helpful.